〜てみる vs 〜てみせる: Trying Something and Showing Determination

A small change in Japanese can change the speaker’s attitude completely:

• 新しいアプリを使ってみます。— I’ll try using the new app.
• 新しいアプリを使ってみせます。— I’ll definitely use the new app / I’ll show you I can use it.

The first sentence is an experiment. The speaker wants to do the action and see what happens. The second sentence is a declaration of resolve. The speaker presents the action as something they intend to accomplish, sometimes in response to a challenge or doubt.

This lesson will help you choose between 〜てみる and 〜てみせる, form useful variations, and avoid treating them as interchangeable “try” expressions.

Start with the intention

Both patterns attach to the て-form of a verb.

• 読む → 読んでみる / 読んでみせる
• 話す → 話してみる / 話してみせる
• 来る → 来てみる / 来てみせる
• する → してみる / してみせる

The difference comes after the て-form:

• 〜てみる: “try doing it,” “give it a try,” or “do it and see.”
• 〜てみせる: “do it for sure,” “show that I can do it,” or “make it happen.”

For example, if a friend recommends a difficult recipe, you can say:

このレシピ、今度作ってみます。
I’ll try making this recipe sometime.

You are open to the experience. You have not promised a particular result. If you want to answer a friend who doubts your cooking, you can say:

今度は絶対においしく作ってみせます。
Next time, I’ll definitely make it delicious.

The second sentence carries energy and commitment. Depending on the situation, it can sound confident, competitive, dramatic, or playful.

1. 〜てみる: trying, testing, and discovering

Use 〜てみる when the action itself is an experiment or a new experience. The result may be uncertain, and that uncertainty is part of the meaning.

この靴を履いてみてもいいですか。
May I try on these shoes?

分からない言葉を辞書で調べてみました。
I tried looking up the word I didn’t understand in a dictionary.

週末に一人で映画を見に行ってみよう。
Let’s try going to see a movie alone this weekend.

The pattern is productive in everyday conversation:

• 〜てみたい — want to try doing
• 〜てみよう — let’s try doing / I’ll try doing
• 〜てみてください — please try doing
• 〜てみました — tried doing
• 〜てみませんか — would you like to try doing?

Notice that 〜てみる does not always mean the speaker expects failure. It simply presents the action as an attempt or an experience. A teacher can say:

まず自分で考えてみてください。
First, please try thinking about it yourself.

The teacher expects the learner to make a real attempt, not necessarily to solve the problem immediately.

2. 〜てみせる: resolve, proof, and a promised result

Use 〜てみせる when the speaker emphasizes determination to complete an action or prove a point. It often appears when someone has been challenged, underestimated, or motivated by a clear goal.

次の試験では、絶対に合格してみせます。
In the next exam, I’ll definitely pass.

この問題を今日中に解いてみせる。
I’ll solve this problem by the end of today.

いつか日本語でプレゼンをしてみせたい。
Someday, I want to give a presentation in Japanese and show that I can do it.

The form can be polite or casual:

• やってみせる — I’ll do it / I’ll show you I can
• やってみせます — I will definitely do it
• やってみせた — I did it / I managed to do it
• やってみせよう — I’ll do it / let’s show what we can do

A useful completed-action example is:

彼女は半年で漢字を五百字覚えてみせた。
She managed to learn 500 kanji in six months.

Here, 〜てみせた highlights the achievement. It tells us that the result was not merely an ordinary event; it was an accomplishment that demonstrated effort or ability.

The core contrast

The third and fourth rows help prevent another common mix-up. 〜てみたい describes desire, while 〜てみる describes an actual attempt. 〜ようとする focuses on the attempt itself and often appears when the action fails or is interrupted.

A quick decision guide

When you are choosing the pattern, move through these questions:

1. Am I inviting someone to experience an action or test an idea?
   Choose 〜てみる.

   このソースを少し入れてみて。
   Try adding a little of this sauce.

2. Am I saying that I want to try something, but I have not acted yet?
   Choose 〜てみたい.

   いつか北海道でスキーをしてみたい。
   Someday I’d like to try skiing in Hokkaido.

3. Am I promising to accomplish the action, especially to answer doubt or a challenge?
   Choose 〜てみせる.

   難しくても、最後まで読んでみせます。
   Even if it’s difficult, I’ll read it to the end.

4. Am I only describing an attempt, possibly one that did not succeed?
   Consider 〜ようとする.

   電話をかけようとしたが、電池が切れた。
   I tried to make a phone call, but my battery died.

Common mistakes and register

The most common mistake is using 〜てみせる as a stronger, everyday version of 〜てみる. That can make a normal request sound like a dramatic promise.

At a customer-service desk, this is natural:

すぐ確認してみます。
I’ll try checking right away.

This can sound unnecessarily forceful:

すぐ確認してみせます。
I will definitely check it and prove it.

The second sentence is not grammatically wrong, but it suggests that the speaker is answering a challenge. Use it when that attitude is intentional.

Another mistake is attaching the pattern to the dictionary form:

• ✗ 食べるみる
• ✓ 食べてみる
• ✗ 勉強するみせる
• ✓ 勉強してみせる

Also remember that the subject of 〜てみせる is normally an intentional actor. It is natural to say:

私がやってみせます。
I’ll do it and show you.

It is not a neutral way to describe an accidental event. For an ordinary plan with no special emphasis, use the plain verb or 〜てみる instead.

Put the contrast into practice

Imagine a classmate asks whether you can read a short Japanese news article. If you are curious and want to attempt it, say:

読んでみます。

If the classmate doubts you and you want to make a confident promise, say:

最後まで読んでみせます。

That change is small, but it shows your stance: exploration versus determination. In daily Japanese, start with 〜てみる for polite suggestions, new experiences, and practical attempts. Save 〜てみせる for moments when the result matters and you want your words to sound committed.

A good final pair to remember is:

まず一度やってみる。
First, I’ll give it a try.

目標を決めたら、最後までやってみせる。
Once I set a goal, I’ll see it through and prove I can do it.

When you hear 〜てみる, listen for an open experiment. When you hear 〜てみせる, listen for a promise with force behind it.

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